Background

Preterm infants with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) are at risk for death or development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). However, PDA treatment remains controversial. We investigated if PDA treatment and other clinical or echocardiographic (ECHO) factors were associated with the development of death or BPD.

Methods

We retrospectively studied clinical and ECHO characteristics of preterm infants with birth weight <1,500 g and ECHO diagnosis of a PDA. Logistic regression and classification and regression tree analyses were performed to assess variables associated with the combined outcome of death or BPD.

Results

Of 187 preterm infants with a PDA, 75% were treated with indomethacin or surgical ligation and 25% were managed conservatively. Death or BPD occurred in 80 (43%) infants. The results of logistic regression analyses showed that lower gestational age (odds ratio (OR): 0.5), earlier year of birth during the study period (OR: 0.9), and larger ductal diameter (OR: 4.3) were associated with the decision to treat the PDA, whereas gestational age was the only variable associated with death or BPD (OR: 0.6; 95% confidence interval: 0.5-0.8).

Conclusion

Only lower gestational age and not PDA treatment or ECHO score was associated with the adverse outcome of death or BPD. Further investigation of PDA management strategies and effects on adverse outcomes of prematurity is needed.